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Most funded futures traders start an evaluation without confirming what the starting balance is. For standard accounts at full-priced tiers, the starting balance equals the labeled account size — a $50,000 evaluation starts at $50,000. But some promotional accounts, discounted evaluations, and step-up programs specify a different starting balance in the evaluation agreement — one that does not match the labeled tier. The starting balance determines two inputs before any trades: the day-one trailing drawdown floor position, and the drawdown distance that feeds the position sizing formula. This article explains what the starting balance is, how the initial floor is calculated from it, when a promotional account changes the numbers, and what the initial floor means for sizing from session one.
Part 1 of 4 — What the starting balance is
For most standard accounts, starting balance equals the labeled tier. But the starting balance is always an agreement number, not a marketing number — and for promotional accounts, they sometimes differ.
The starting balance is the account dollar amount specified in the evaluation agreement as the day-one account value before any trades are placed. It is the reference point for two calculations that must be done before session one: the initial trailing drawdown floor position (starting balance minus drawdown distance) and the DTF sizing input (drawdown distance divided by 10). The evaluation agreement typically calls it "starting account balance," "initial account value," "evaluation balance," or "beginning account value." At Apex Trader Funding, it appears in the evaluation terms as the account size. At Topstep, it is the "starting balance" in the performance agreement. At Earn2Trade, it is listed as the "account value" in the evaluation confirmation. The term changes across firms, but the meaning is consistent: the number that anchors the day-one floor calculation.
The starting balance is separate from the amount paid to enter the evaluation. A $50,000 evaluation might cost $150 per month or $500 as a one-time fee — that is the evaluation fee, not the starting balance. The starting balance is the dollar amount the evaluation account shows on day one before any trades. These two numbers are always different. The starting balance is what matters for floor and sizing calculations. The evaluation fee determines cost; the starting balance determines risk parameters. See how evaluation trailing drawdown works for the full context of how the starting balance interacts with the profit target gate over the course of the evaluation.
A full-priced standard $50,000 evaluation at most funded futures firms has a starting balance of $50,000. A $100,000 evaluation has a starting balance of $100,000. A $25,000 evaluation has a starting balance of $25,000. This one-to-one correspondence between the labeled tier and the starting balance is the normal case for non-promotional accounts. When the starting balance matches the labeled tier, the floor and sizing calculations use the familiar numbers: a $50,000 account with a $2,000 drawdown distance starts with a floor at $48,000 and a per-session sizing limit of $200. For traders on standard accounts with no promotions applied, confirming the starting balance from the agreement is a sanity check that takes one minute and costs nothing — but it confirms the correct drawdown distance was applied and rules out account configuration errors before the first session. The tier selection framework that determines which starting balance tier fits a trader's current process is covered in funded futures evaluation account size.
Some promotional evaluations, discounted accounts, and step-up programs specify a starting balance that is different from the labeled account size. The most common scenario is a promotional "$100,000 evaluation" that uses a $50,000 starting balance in the evaluation agreement. The trader sees a $100,000 account label — the notional account size and position limits may reflect $100,000 — but the drawdown distance is calculated from the $50,000 starting balance. If the standard $50,000 drawdown distance is $2,000, a $50,000 starting balance on the promotional account gives the same DTF as the $50,000 standard account: $2,000. The per-session sizing limit is $2,000 ÷ 10 = $200, not $300 as a standard $100,000 account would have. The day-one floor is $50,000 − $2,000 = $48,000, not $97,000 as the $100,000 standard account's floor would be.
A trader who assumes the $100,000 standard risk parameters ($3,000 DTF, $300 per-session sizing limit) and sizes accordingly on the promotional account is operating above the evaluation's actual risk limits — even though the labeled account size appears to support it. The starting balance in the evaluation agreement — not the label, not the promotional page, not the account dashboard title — is the definitive input for all floor and sizing calculations. Reading the agreement for the starting balance field before session one takes one to two minutes and is the only reliable source for this number.
Part 2 of 4 — How the initial floor is calculated
The floor calculation is arithmetic, but confirming it against the dashboard before the first session verifies the account was configured correctly and the agreement numbers match what is live.
The initial trailing drawdown floor is calculated as: initial floor = starting balance minus drawdown distance (DTF). Three standard examples: a $25,000 account with a $1,500 DTF has a day-one floor of $23,500. A $50,000 account with a $2,000 DTF has a day-one floor of $48,000. A $100,000 account with a $3,000 DTF has a day-one floor of $97,000. In each case the floor-room on day one equals exactly the DTF distance — $1,500, $2,000, and $3,000 respectively. This is the maximum floor-room the account will ever have, because the floor can only advance from here, never retreat. After the first session that ends above the starting balance, the floor moves upward and floor-room begins compressing. The initial floor position is the only floor position that reflects the full drawdown distance as available floor-room. Every subsequent floor advance reduces the floor-room below the full DTF distance — until the lock condition is reached in the funded phase.
The floor calculation uses the starting balance from the evaluation agreement, not the current balance. Once the evaluation is running, the floor tracks the highest balance ever achieved minus the DTF distance — but before session one, the highest balance ever achieved is the starting balance itself, so the initial floor is starting balance minus DTF. See the full advancement mechanics in funded futures trailing drawdown floor mechanics, which covers how the floor moves from this initial position through the evaluation and into the funded phase.
The evaluation dashboard does not display the floor calculation — it displays the current floor as a dollar value. The field labels vary: Apex Trader Funding typically shows "Trailing Threshold" or "Drawdown Floor" with the dollar amount. Topstep shows "Trailing Drawdown" or "Stop Loss Level" in dollars. Earn2Trade shows "Max End of Day Drawdown" or "Min Balance" in the Rithmic-powered platform. In all cases the number displayed is the dollar value of the current floor position — not the DTF distance, not the floor-room, and not a formula. The floor-room (current balance minus floor) must be calculated manually: check the current balance field and subtract the displayed floor value. On day one with no trades, balance equals starting balance and floor equals initial floor, so floor-room equals starting balance minus initial floor, which equals the DTF distance.
Confirming the dashboard floor value against the calculated initial floor (starting balance minus DTF from the agreement) is the day-zero verification step that catches account configuration errors before any trades. If the displayed floor does not match the calculation, contact the firm to resolve the discrepancy before session one — do not proceed with trades until the floor position is confirmed correct. The five-field pre-session check sequence that incorporates the floor position as a routine element is in the funded futures evaluation dashboard article.
Before any trades, the floor is at the initial position: starting balance minus DTF. The floor advances only when the account balance reaches a new all-time high above the starting balance. On day one, the prior all-time high is the starting balance itself — so the floor advances only if the session balance exceeds the starting balance. A session that ends below the starting balance does not advance the floor at all. The day-one floor position is preserved exactly as calculated after any session that ends below the starting balance. For a $50,000 account with a $2,000 DTF: a session that ends at $49,700 leaves the floor at $48,000. A session that ends at $50,400 advances the floor to $50,400 minus $2,000 = $48,400. The floor-room is now $48,400 − $48,000 = $400 smaller than it was on day one. That $400 reduction in floor-room is permanent — the floor does not retreat to $48,000 after the session.
Part 3 of 4 — When the starting balance changes the DTF sizing input
The DTF divided by 10 sizing limit is calculated from the drawdown distance, which comes from the starting balance. When starting balance and labeled tier differ, the sizing limit differs from the standard tier formula.
The two-input position sizing formula for funded futures evaluations: per-session sizing limit = DTF distance ÷ 10, and per-trade risk limit = DLL ÷ 4. Both inputs come from the evaluation agreement — the drawdown distance and the daily loss limit. For a standard $50,000 evaluation: DTF = $2,000, DLL = $2,500, so per-session limit = $200 and per-trade limit = $625. For a standard $100,000 evaluation: DTF = $3,000, DLL = $3,500, so per-session limit = $300 and per-trade limit = $875. The labeled account size changes the DTF and DLL amounts, which changes the sizing limits. But the sizing limits come from the DTF and DLL values in the agreement — not from the account label directly. When the starting balance determines a different DTF than the labeled tier implies, the sizing limits reflect the actual DTF, not the tier-implied DTF. See the full pre-session sizing routine in the funded futures position sizing checklist.
A promotional evaluation advertised as "$100,000" specifies in the evaluation agreement: starting balance = $50,000, drawdown distance = $2,000, daily loss limit = $2,500. Day-one floor: $50,000 minus $2,000 = $48,000. Per-session sizing limit: $2,000 ÷ 10 = $200. Per-trade risk limit: $2,500 ÷ 4 = $625. A trader on this promotional account who looks at the $100,000 account label and applies the standard $100,000 sizing formula — DTF ÷ 10 = $3,000 ÷ 10 = $300 per session — is sizing 50% above the evaluation's actual risk parameters. The dashboard shows the $100,000 balance and the $48,000 floor. The floor-room is $48,000 minus $48,000 = $0 on day one only if the floor is recalculated from the promotional starting balance — but wait, that is $50,000 minus $2,000 = $48,000, so floor-room is $50,000 minus $48,000 = $2,000. The risk is not in the floor calculation but in the per-session sizing. The $300 per-session assumption places too many contracts per session relative to what the actual $2,000 DTF supports. Two sessions at $300 each versus two sessions at $200 each: the excess $200 across two sessions does not sound large, but with normal session variance it is the difference between being within the DTF distance and approaching it prematurely.
The evaluation agreement specifies the starting balance, drawdown distance, and daily loss limit as explicit dollar amounts. These three numbers are the complete input set for floor calculation and sizing: initial floor = starting balance minus drawdown distance, per-session limit = drawdown distance ÷ 10, per-trade limit = daily loss limit ÷ 4. The field names vary — look for "starting account balance" or "initial account value" for the starting balance; "maximum trailing drawdown," "distance to floor," or "trailing drawdown distance" for the DTF; and "maximum daily loss" or "daily loss limit" for the DLL. At most firms, these three values appear together in the evaluation terms and conditions or in the evaluation confirmation email. For promotional or discounted accounts, the agreement may note the evaluation as a "$100,000 account" in the header but specify a different starting balance in the risk parameters section below — always read the risk parameters section rather than relying on the header account size for floor and sizing calculations.
At firms where the starting balance equals the labeled tier for all standard (non-promotional) accounts, confirming the agreement amounts is still a one-time verification that takes under two minutes. At firms with multiple evaluation structures (standard, two-step, step-up, reset, promotional), the starting balance may vary across accounts at the same nominal tier. The funded account agreement at activation will also specify a starting balance for the funded phase — confirm that separately, because the funded starting balance sets the funded floor and the funded sizing inputs independently of the evaluation. The evaluation starting balance only applies during the evaluation period; after activation, the funded account's own starting balance governs.
Part 4 of 4 — What the initial floor means in practice
The initial floor is not abstract — it is the day-zero prerequisite for the position sizing formula and the floor-room check that applies from the first session.
The initial floor is the lowest floor position the evaluation account will ever reach. From day one forward, the floor advances whenever the balance sets a new high — and it never retreats. Every winning session that posts a new balance high permanently reduces floor-room. The evaluation starts with floor-room equal to the full DTF distance (starting balance minus initial floor). After the first session that exceeds the starting balance, some of that floor-room is gone permanently. The most floor-room exists on day zero, before any trades.
This is not a reason to trade differently on session one than on any other session. The position sizing formula — DTF ÷ 10 per session — applies from session one and produces the same per-session ceiling regardless of how much floor-room remains. The point is that day one is the account's most risk-tolerant state in terms of floor-room, and applying the sizing formula from the first session — rather than loosening it because the floor feels distant — preserves that room for the remainder of the evaluation. The evaluation trailing drawdown article covers the full dynamic of how earning toward the profit target simultaneously advances the floor and compresses floor-room over the course of the evaluation.
Before the first session: (1) Read the starting balance from the evaluation agreement. (2) Read the drawdown distance (DTF) from the evaluation agreement. (3) Calculate initial floor = starting balance minus DTF. (4) Open the evaluation dashboard and compare the displayed floor value to the calculated floor. If they match, the account is configured correctly — proceed. If they do not match, contact the firm before placing any trades. (5) Calculate the two sizing inputs: DTF ÷ 10 = per-session sizing limit, DLL ÷ 4 = per-trade risk limit. (6) Record starting balance, initial floor, per-session limit, and per-trade limit in the evaluation journal before the first session begins.
This routine takes under five minutes and prevents two categories of error: account configuration errors (the firm applied the wrong drawdown distance or starting balance) and sizing errors (the trader uses the wrong DTF input for the formula). Both categories of error are easier to catch before any sessions run than after. A configuration error discovered after three sessions may require contacting the firm to resolve retroactively; a sizing error discovered after using the wrong input for five sessions requires recalibrating the session ceiling. The pre-session check from the evaluation dashboard that runs before every session — not just day one — is covered in the funded futures position sizing checklist.
When the evaluation is passed and the funded account is activated, the funded account receives its own starting balance — typically the same account size tier as the evaluation, but set fresh at the moment of activation. The evaluation's trailing drawdown floor position does not carry into the funded account. The funded account starts with its own initial floor calculation: funded initial floor = funded starting balance minus funded drawdown distance. The funded drawdown distance may differ from the evaluation drawdown distance at some firms — check the funded account agreement separately from the evaluation agreement.
The practical implication: the floor-room tracking done during the evaluation does not carry a floor position into the funded phase. The funded account's floor-room on activation day is the full funded drawdown distance — the same relationship as day one of the evaluation but with the funded account's parameters. The day-zero verification routine described in this article applies identically at funded account activation: read the funded agreement, calculate the funded floor, verify it on the funded dashboard, and record the funded sizing inputs before the first funded session. The full list of day-one checks after passing is in what happens after passing a funded futures evaluation, which includes account activation verification steps that use the funded starting balance as the anchor.
The starting balance is the dollar amount in the evaluation agreement that sets the day-one account value before any trades. For most standard accounts it equals the labeled account size tier. The starting balance determines the initial trailing drawdown floor (starting balance minus drawdown distance) and the per-session sizing limit (drawdown distance divided by 10). It is not the evaluation fee — it is the account value specified in the agreement that the firm uses to calculate risk parameters.
Initial floor equals starting balance minus drawdown distance. A $50,000 starting balance with a $2,000 drawdown distance gives a day-one floor of $48,000. The floor-room on day one equals the full drawdown distance — the maximum floor-room the account will ever have. The floor advances when the balance exceeds the starting balance for the first time; sessions that end below the starting balance leave the floor exactly at the day-one position. Verify the initial floor by checking the dashboard before the first session and comparing the displayed floor value to the calculated floor from the evaluation agreement.
Yes. Promotional evaluations, discounted accounts, and step-up programs sometimes specify a starting balance that differs from the labeled account size. A "$100,000 evaluation" during a promotion may use a $50,000 starting balance in the agreement — giving the account the risk parameters of a $50,000 account despite the label. The starting balance in the evaluation agreement is the definitive input for floor and sizing calculations. Read the agreement for the starting balance field before placing any trades, particularly on promotional or discounted accounts.
The starting balance determines the drawdown distance, which is the input for the per-session sizing limit (DTF divided by 10). For a promotional account with a $50,000 starting balance and a $2,000 DTF, the per-session limit is $200 — not $300 as a standard $100,000 account would allow. Using the labeled account size instead of the actual starting balance to size positions means operating above the evaluation's real risk parameters. The drawdown distance in the evaluation agreement — not the account label — is the correct input.
Yes, if the session balance ends above the starting balance. A session that closes above $50,000 on a $50,000 starting balance account advances the floor to the session's highest balance minus the drawdown distance. A session ending at $50,400 with a $2,000 DTF moves the floor from $48,000 to $48,400 — $400 of floor-room permanently reduced. Sessions that end below the starting balance do not advance the floor. At EOD firms the floor advances at settlement; at intraday firms the floor can advance during the session as the balance reaches intraday highs.
Before the first trade, there are two numbers to confirm from the evaluation agreement: the starting balance and the drawdown distance.
The Jalen Method includes the day-zero verification routine — reading the evaluation agreement, calculating the initial floor, confirming the dashboard match, and recording the sizing inputs before session one. First 100 founding seats at $19/mo — locked for life.